Is Eating Fruit for Breakfast Healthy?

by
JESSICA BRUSO Last Updated: Dec 18, 2013

Jessica Bruso

Based in Massachusetts, Jessica Bruso has been writing since 2008. She holds a master of science degree in food policy and applied nutrition and a bachelor of arts degree in international relations, both from Tufts University.

Although eating any kind of breakfast is better than not eating breakfast at all, some breakfast options are better than others. Getting the right combination of nutrients will help you to feel full of energy and just plain full until lunch, while eating the wrong foods for breakfast may have you reaching for a doughnut or other less healthy snack option a short time later.

Components of a Healthy Breakfast

A healthy breakfast should contain fruits or vegetables, low-fat protein and dairy and whole grains. This combination of fiber, complex carbohydrates, protein and a small amount of fat will help provide the nutrients you need for good health and keep you from getting hungry too quickly. A healthy breakfast may also help you to concentrate and keep you from going through a mid-morning slump.

Benefits of Fruit for Breakfast

Fruit provides vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C and potassium. The vitamins and minerals help your body function properly and can help prevent certain diseases and health conditions. Bananas, a common breakfast food, provide a good source of potassium, an important nutrient in muscle health. Eating fruit at breakfast also helps you to meet the USDA's recommendation for five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
Many fruits have fiber and this helps to slow down the digestive process and keep you feeling full longer. As an added benefit, when you consume fiber-rich foods, this can help you manage your weight, explains researchers with the University of Minnesota.

Considerations

Eating just fruit for your morning meal, without the other components of a healthy breakfast, is unlikely to keep you full for long. You need protein and fats, which fruits do not supply, to provide lasting energy. Consuming fruit alone may lead to a mid-morning crash as you run out of energy, and spikes in your blood sugar levels.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Oatmeal with fruit and milk, yogurt with fruit and granola, a fruit smoothie with toast and peanut butter and fruit juice with a breakfast burrito made with a whole grain tortilla all make delicious and nutritious options for breakfast. You can stock up on portable breakfast options to make it easier to fit this meal into your day, such as fruits that are easy to carry with you, granola bars and cups of yogurt.

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